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Graycliff Espresso Elegante review

moki

el Presidente
Joined
Dec 16, 2003
Messages
9,418
Graycliff Espresso Elegante (7 ¼" x 38)

Other than a brief dalliance with the Crystal line, I've never had much interest in cigars from Graycliff. They are certainly well made, but for the prohibitive price tag, I expect something far more interesting out their cigars than what the various Graycliff lines offer.

Enter the Espresso line. This is the one line from Graycliff that has a unique enough taste that I consider it to be worth the money for an occasional indulgence. The blend was created by Graycliff owner Enrico Garzaroli in conjunction with their master blender, Avelino Lara, who previously blended cigars in Fidel's factories in Cuba.

The Espresso line uses a unique hybrid Cuban Corojo seed tobacco grown in Costa Rica for its maduro wrapper, with a blend of aged Nicaraguan, Ecuadorian ligero, and Philippine Simaba for the filler. The binder is Cameroon, though I'm not sure where it originates from... it may simply be Cameroon seed grown elsewhere.

There result is a very unique tasting cigar that while is not infused with flavor of any kind, does indeed impart a taste that hints the rich, bittersweet, earthy nuances of a well made espresso. The Graycliff Espressos are rich, full-flavored cigars, while simultaneously being very smooth, with only fleeting hints of spice.

They are similar to the Padron 1964/1926 lines of cigars, not necessarily in taste, but in the aforementioned characteristic of offering a rich tasting experience, while being incredibly smooth. Lanceros are one of my favorite vitolas, so it's no surprise that I happen to appreciate these Graycliff Espresso Elegantes fully.
 
I, too, love these cigars. I am quite fond of many of the Graycliff cigars. One shop I go to sells them like crazy but most other shops I go to that have them, they just sit there on the shelf wearing thier high price tag. Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and buy one of those poor neglected fellows.
 
The expresso line, are in my opinion the best of the line. The pricing really sucks for the value, but all their lines are over the top price wise.
 
The Crystal's and the Expresso's are my two favorites from Greycliff.I really do not mind paying that much for them at all.
I sometimes find decent deals in 300ish range for a box of expresso pirates.I am down to my last 8 robustos.

Great review as always Moki,thank you.
 
After reading the Graycliff Espresso reviews in this and another thread, I went ahead and got 2 fivers each of espresso PG and Pyramide #2.

It is always good to have at least 2 sticks before making a personal assessment but I have to say the first PG I had was not enjoyable. I found it very one dimensional and chucked it half way. Definitely over priced and disappointing to my taste. Proves yet again that taste is subjective.

Brian
 
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